Community support helps Mott clinic

Renovation project started by anonymous donor

The community of Mott got their first look at their renovated exam rooms at the West River Health Services clinic. An open house was held on Thursday, March 9.

Over $33,000 was raised for the project, which was completed in late December after more than a year.

The new clinic exam rooms feature new flooring, new sink fixtures, new cabinetry, and updated high-low exam tables. The new tables have an adjustable height feature, allowing ease of access for patients with difficulty getting situated on top.

“Even the little kids, they love to get up there and get a ride,” Lori Hill said. Hill is a Family Nurse Practitioner with the clinic.

The whole venture started with an anonymous donor. That person gave the clinic some money and they were able to renovate two rooms. Well, that started a chain reaction, because that donor came back and was inspired to give more money, if the organization could match it.

And the community of Mott came out in droves to support the next step of the project.

“Mott people were great in donating,” Hill said. “We got way more than we expected.”

According to signage posted in the lobby at the clinic, 86 organizations, families, and individuals gave money to the project.

“We just so much appreciate [that] our patients have donated, and helped make such great improvements to a more modern facility,” she said.

Hill told The Herald that the construction didn’t really interfere with their daily routines. The clinic had to close down for two Fridays throughout the project, but other than that it wasn’t an issue.

“They were very good, they came on the weekend primarily,” she said.

West River CEO Matthew Shahan credits the anonymous donor with getting the ball rolling on this project.

“When a community member comes forward and says you know “I want to step up and support this and be the lead off” it’s just kind of our duty to take it the rest of the way,” Shahan said.

Shahan, who was hired as CEO after the first two rooms were finished, and before the larger-scaled project started, said that the refreshed and updated look and feel of the rooms really matches with the quality of care the facility offers.

“I think what it means for the community is, to be go along with quality of care that we’re able to provide with our doctors coming up from Hettinger and our staff here in Mott, now they have a nice building to go with that quality of care that they’ve been receiving,” he said. “This is really a unique thing. It’s really nice to see it completed. We owe a lot of thanks to the community of Mott for stepping up and helping us this this.”

Shahan said it’s possible that this starts a domino effect for the other satellite clinics to think about renovations.

Though he oversaw the second part of the project as CEO, Shahan gave much of the credit to the staff at the Mott clinic for shepherding much of it though the process.

Mott Mayor Troy Mosbrucker also thinks that it’s good to see the community and West River work together to keep healthcare a priority in Mott.

“It’s nice to see the commitment that West River has with the city of Mott,” he said. “And it’s nice to see that the people committed to it. It shows [what] the value of their service is to the city of Mott, and that people wanted to keep it here.”